Cooked corn cobs are consumed throughout the year but their sales skyrocket in spring and summer with the arrival of good weather and the increase of barbecues with family and friends. At the moment, there's still a shortage of supply because of the drought there was in the previous harvest, something the sector expects will end in the last quarter of the year with the arrival of the good volumes and quality expected for the 2023 harvest.

“The current sweet corn campaign is still marked by the results of the previous one, which was quite difficult mainly because of the drought, lack of water for irrigation, large increases in the costs of production inputs derived from the war in Ukraine, as well as an increasingly restrictive European regulation in environmental matters that complicates the farmers' activity,” stated Félix Moracho, president of Huercasa.

“This has all led to a general decrease in surface area and, naturally, to a decrease in supply, with an uneven impact depending on the production areas,” Félix added. The company has around 3,000 hectares of sweet corn cultivation in Spain - distributed in Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, the Ebro Valley basin- and in France. It is a leading producer and marketer of cooked sweet corn in Europe.

“Even though there's still a shortage of product in the markets because of the difficulties of the previous harvest, we hope the new harvest, which began at the end of March in Andalusia and is now ending in Extremadura, will balance the supply. At the moment, the harvest progresses reasonably well; the volumes are right and the quality is good. As a result, we hope that, in the last months of the year, there will be a balanced market supply again," the president of Huercasa stated.

“Consumption is strong at the moment and we've noticed a scarcity of raw materials. However, there's a certain level of retraction compared to other years due to inflation, which does not affect us significantly, but that must be taken into account. That's why one of our goals is to achieve the best value for money, which makes us leaders in the markets,” he said.

Europe's growing cultivation restrictions take a toll on farmers' morale
While climate change and drought are factors that concern the sector, Félix Moracho stressed that the restrictive policies of the European Commission in its “From farm to table” strategy are hurting farmers' morale:

“The emotional effects that this strategy is having on farmers is worrying and it's already translating into the abandonment of crops that are no longer economically viable. European farmers have already had to overcome great difficulties to carry out their production before the new regulations are applied. If we don't take this into account and don't apply these new regulations in a sensible manner, the European supply chain will be endangered in the immediate future.”

“Europe is at the forefront of food quality and safety. The objectives of the new European strategy are honorable, but they must be carried out with care when it comes to phytosanitary prohibitions. We can't call something bad when we used to call it good a few years ago. We need to be more coherent and changes need to be implemented in an orderly manner. We are on the side of the farmers. We secure contracts at profitable prices, with technical and moral support. Europe's food production must be defended,” stated Félix Moracho.

"A limited range of products, but a strong and highly specialized offer"
Huercasa, which already exports to more than 40 countries, aims to become the first and best European operator of 5th-range plant products. “Sweet cooked corn cobs are our most emblematic product, but we are growing significantly in red beets and products made from legumes, such as lentils and chickpeas, as well as, generally, in bioproduction,” the president of the company stated.

“Convenience products will continue to grow, even though there may be economic problems, as consumers have less and less time for cooking and we look for healthier and quality products. Strategically, we try to see what can be interesting for consumers and not make a large deployment of products but look for those that meet the needs of customers, offering a limited but highly specialized range with a permanent improvement of processes and with a powerful offer availability to supply as many and as different markets as we can.”

“We believe in sustainability in a broad sense. That's why we work closely with farmers, pay close attention to innovation, and cooperate with technology centers and universities to deliver more value with less environmental impact. We want to be a well-positioned operator in the 5th range segment and the truth is that we see a good future for these products,” Félix Moracho stated.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com